San Jose State football: Grading the Week

Big win for the Spartans … as big as a victory over a winless team can be.

Here’s the bowl math: SJSU needs to win four of its final seven to be eligible. That’s hardly an overwhelming task, but the next four games represent the best chance to take the biggest steps.

The Spartans would best avoid entering the stretch run (San Diego State, Nevada, Navy and Fresno State) needing several wins to qualify for the postseason.

But October isn’t easy: Colorado State and Wyoming are mid-level MW teams more than capable of beating SJSU.

(The league appears to have three bottom feeders: The Spartans played one, Hawaii, and miss the other two, Air Force and New Mexico).

Result: Won at Hawaii 37-27

Grade: B-

Comment: The most interesting and encouraging story line to emerge from the victory was the play of SJSU’s freshmen, from linebacker Christian Tago to receiver Tyler Winston to tight end Billy Freeman and all the tailbacks.

Winston produced a breakout game with 159 receiving yards — all the more impressive because it came on the road and all the more necessary because of the unit’s depleted state.

* SJSU by the numbers:

Turnover margin of +2 … only five penalties … below standard on third down (31.5 percent) … continued problems in the red zone (no touchdowns in two trips) …

But enough resolve to win.

* Quarterback David Fales had another two-INT game and was below 50 percent completions against a vulnerable pass defense.

Hawaii gave up 324 yards through the air to Fresno State and 451 to Oregon State. Fales should have carved ’em up and, despite the mistakes, threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns.

* The Spartans only averaged 3.9 yards per rush, but they kept at it with 55 carries — more than twice the per-game average.

My guess is that the play of freshmen TBs Jarrod Lawson, Thomas Tucker and Tim Crawley will give the coaching staff a few more options this week as the playbook is built, then whittled down.

As much time as Ron Caragher and his staff have spent with the players since December, they’ve only seem them in game situations five times. The getting-to-know-you process is still underway.

Honolulu proved to be a valuable learning experience.

* Last thought: It was an important win on numerous levels, but it was only one win and it came against a bad team: This week will provide a better assessment of the state of Sparta.

Next up: at Colorado State

The matchup: Favorable.

The Spartans beat CSU by seven two years ago in Fort Collins and dominated last season’s tangle. The 40-20 victory included a dominant second half, 568 total yards of offense and one of Fales’ best games.

The Rams are favored by four, which reflects SJSU’s struggles and CSU’s modest improvement. (The Rams didn’t get embarrassed at Alabama, which counts for something, I suppose.)

The Spartans must continue to run the ball, limit mistakes, take advantage of opportunities — all the things necessary to win on the road against teams other than Hawaii (and a few others).

* And don’t forget about the schedule:

SJSU has a bye next week and then a home date with Wyoming. That combination compounds the potential benefits of a victory over Colorado State — almost to the point that it would count as more than one win.

There aren’t many better ways to build momentum for the second half than a winning streak, extra rest and then a home game.